November Newsletter | Ask the Executive Coach & Advisor: An Interview with Angela Justice

Ask the Executive Coach: Five Questions for Angela Justice, Executive Coach & Advisor

How would you describe your practice?

Most leaders reach a point at which they need to enhance their executive management skills to drive organizational success and keep their career moving forward. As the stakes get higher and expectations grow, the complexity of leadership can feel isolating. That’s where I come in.

Most of my clients face relentless pace and the challenges of leading in ever-changing, high-stakes industries. I help them navigate these challenges to achieve extraordinary results, lead with greater ease, and become the type of leader others naturally want to follow. My goal is simple: to help leaders exude confidence, maximize their impact, and fully embrace their seat at the table.

I’m especially effective helping leaders and aspiring executives who often feel undervalued and underutilized in their roles. As an award-winning CPO myself, I know how to catalyze that change.

I may either be hired by the leaders themselves or by an employer that sees the value of investing in high potential fast-track leaders. My “interactive 360” is a very effective tool for identifying underleveraged strengths and uncovering blind spots to make skills development strategies both actionable and measurable.

How did you get your start?

Mine is not the traditional coach’s background!

I’m a neuroscientist by training, as I’ve always been fascinated by human behavior—why people do what they do and how they can achieve more. My first real job was as a management consultant at McKinsey & Company, where I learned the importance of translating strategy to clear and consistent actions to achieve measurable business results.

From there, I developed a reputation for building high-performing leaders and teams while holding C-level roles in Patient Advocacy, Medical Affairs, and Human Resources. Looking back on my experience, I realized that each of my successes had been driven by the purposeful and intentional application of behavioral strategies—insights I now teach all my clients.

My seminal moment came when a CEO of a growing biotech approached me with a dilemma: he had hired an HR consultant to support the company, but he wasn’t sure if she could succeed in an executive leadership role or if he even needed one. With my existing employer’s blessing, I started coaching her and helped her connect the dots between HR strategy and business results.

Within three months, everything changed. Her performance on the job enabled the CEO to see the full value that a strong HR leader could bring. As a key member of his executive team, she has been integral to navigating the company’s rapid growth and transformation.

Needless to say, I was hooked!

In 2023, Justice Group Advisors was born. Since then, I’ve seen this story repeat time and time again. I’ve helped clients achieve their biggest goals, overcome challenges they once thought insurmountable, and do so in a way that is authentic to them.

What makes you different from other coaches?

I am different in three ways:

First, I guarantee results. My approach starts with establishing clear and measurable definitions of success and designing individually tailored strategies to assure my clients make progress toward those goals and recognize when they attain them. My clients don’t only feel better, they ARE better—and they have the data to prove it.

Second, I bring a rare depth of understanding to my coaching. I’ve been the high-potential rising star, the frustrated leader striving for more, and the overwhelmed C-suite executive carrying the weight of critical decisions. These experiences give me a unique ability to connect with my clients, understand their challenges, and guide them to meaningful breakthroughs—no matter their role or level.

Third, I offer more than traditional coaching. While many coaches rely on endless questions, I provide well-timed insights and proven frameworks that help my clients achieve their goals faster and with greater clarity. These frameworks don’t just guide—they empower. As one client put it, "Your frameworks give me superpowers."

Ultimately, my practice is all about results, and I’m committed to helping leaders reach their full potential with clarity, confidence, and speed.

What would I hear in conversation that should trigger a referral to you?

The ideal client for me would be anticipating taking on a larger and more strategic role and wanting to nail it from the start. This could be in anticipation of a promotion, reorganization, merger or acquisition, or an employer change.

Leaders who express concern that they are capable of doing more but are stuck at the starting gate are also good. It is quite common for outstanding technical or operational leaders to struggle when making to move from doing the work themselves toward roles that are increasingly hands off.

I excel in partnering with leaders who are receiving feedback—whether from their teams, peers, or senior leaders—that they’re not effectively engaging or inspiring those around them. My approach helps them build trust, influence, and alignment to elevate their leadership impact. My approach takes much of the subjectivity out of the equation, empowering the client and their colleagues to engage in open and honest communications that enable us to define success and recognize progress.

These are the moments where my coaching can make all the difference—helping leaders gain clarity, build confidence, and achieve the kind of results that get noticed.

How might you collaborate with career and job search/resume coaches?

I love partnering with career coaches because our work complements each other perfectly. Career coaches help clients land their dream roles by guiding them through job search strategies and positioning them for new opportunities. Once they’ve secured the role, I step in to ensure their success, helping leaders make the most of that opportunity by developing the strategic insight and executive presence they need to thrive at the next level.

Many of my executive-level clients are also interested in board or advisory roles, which often requires crafting board bios, preparing board resumes, and developing a targeted search strategy. Occasionally, I work with clients who decide to pursue new corporate roles. While I can coach them on aligning their search with their long-term ambitions, having an expert and trusted resume coach as a referral is invaluable.

Who is Angela Justice, PhD?

Angela Justice, PhD, is a behavioral scientist turned biotech executive turned executive coach, dedicated to helping leaders in high-stakes industries unlock their potential and elevate their impact. With a background in neuroscience and years of C-level experience in healthcare and life sciences, Angela combines science-backed strategies with real-world insights to help clients build confidence, develop strategic influence, and lead with purpose.

Angela particularly enjoys working with leaders who are moving from technical expertise to enterprise-level leadership. Her clients face intense pressures and rapid change, and Angela’s coaching empowers them to rise to the challenge, transform their leadership, and fully embrace their seat at the table. Known for her results-driven approach and practical frameworks, Angela equips leaders to achieve extraordinary outcomes with clarity and confidence.

Check out Angela’s website: https://www.justicegroupadvisors.com/.

Job Guy Tip of the Month:

It is critically important to your career wellbeing to know what you would do if you were suddenly thrown into the job market and what you would do about it. To do so is simple: just hop onto a job board and look for a job that you think would represent a great next step. Pay attention to the qualifications or requirements listed and determine if you are still competitive or need to upskill.

Address the gaps where possible and include the new skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile. If you need to develop interpersonal and leadership skills, seek out an executive coach like Angela. For more information on best ways to advance a career, check out my November blog post here.

A Favorite LinkedIn Testimonial

Dianne and I have worked together three times over eight years to carve out a career in nonprofit leadership, with each step involving increasing scope of work and influence. She has done a great job with her career and has been very generous to Job Guy through her referrals.

“I was introduced to John's work when I hired one of his clients to come work on my team. Her resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile and interview skills were spot on, and even better yet, she was the perfect person for the role. When I was transitioning out of my job, I asked her for a recommendation which led me to John. John not only helped me build a professional resume which highlighted my work experience and transferable skills, he provided practical emotional support. John taught me how to talk about my experience that eliminated "insider language" and gave tips on networking, discussing work transitions, interviewing, and how to look for people and organizations that needed my unique skills. With John, I found not only someone to build my resume, I found a job coach. I have recommended John to numerous friends who in turn have recommended John to their friends. When you have John on your side, finding and getting the right job is a real reality. I hope I don't need John's skills again for a longtime, but if I do, he's the first person I will call.”